Two more Amerindian villages get transportation boost

- Amerindian Affairs Ministry presents pick-up to Region 9 villages

Georgetown, GINA, June 12, 2012

The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs on Monday presented a pick-up to representatives of Fly Hill and Quatata in an act to boost transportation in the two Region Nine satellite communities.

The $4.25M vehicle was procured through a collaborative effort with the villages providing $1M each and the Government of Guyana $2. 25 M

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai handed over the keys of the pick-up to Senior Councillors of Fly Hill and Quatata, Euril Charles and John Dorrick respectively.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai hands over the keys of the pick-up to Senior Councillor of Quatata, John Dorrick. Also in photo are : Senior Councillor of Fly Hill, Euril Charles(standing next to Dorrick), the Minister’s Technical Officer, Leslyn Lowe, Ministry’s Project Coordinator, Sharon Austin and its Permanent Secretary, Nigel Dharamlall. 

The vehicle is intended to support the villages’ agricultural thrust, and aid in health emergencies and, transportation of school children.

“The satellites having invested $2M would not want to see their contribution go to waste without actually getting any gains or benefit and, likewise the Government will also want to see that you take full responsibility of the management of its operation,” Minister Sukhai said to the councillors.

A Management Committee in Region 9 will be responsible for the maintenance of the pick-up in terms of repairs, driver and fuel and it (operation) will be scrutinised to ensure there is fairness in benefits received, expenses incurred and level of caution that driver and users demonstrate while using the vehicle.

Both senior councillors thanked the Ministry and the Government for heeding their request and assured Minister Sukhai that the vehicle will benefit the villages significantly.

The vehicle presented to Fly Hill and Quatata villages. 

The Ministry has been assisting Amerindian villages with transportation because of their topography. In some cases villages benefit from boats, engines, all terrain vehicles or minibuses and these have significantly improved their daily activities. 

Earlier this year, several villages in South Rupununi benefitted from a $5M Nissan Frontier vehicle that is to be used for health purposes while a 40 -horsepower outdoor engine was given to Sebai, Region One. Another village in Region One, Kamwatta, in the Moruca sub-region received a minibus valued $3.2M. St Deny’s Mission, and Mainstay, both communities in Region Two, each received a minibus.

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